Barriers between Palestine and Israel serve not to separate people physically, but rather to degrade the personage of Palestinians, said Nick Denes—co-director of the Palestine Film Foundation.
Following a screening of the film "Infiltrators" Thursday evening, Denes took questions from the audience. "Infiltrators" is a documentary that chronicles the barriers faced by Palestinians as they move through the West Bank. The event was sponsored by the Program in Arts of the Moving Image, the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies department, Duke Center for Jewish Studies, Duke Islamic Studies Center and Duke University Middle East Studies Center. Of the approximately 40 people who attended, the majority were members of the Durham community rather than students.
Screen/Society Program Coordinator Hank Okazaki commenced the event with a brief talk outlining the history of Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
“Here, you have a history of conflict, where suddenly families are divided by the wall and the border,” he said. “What do you do then?”
The film followed the lives of different Palestinians including workers, a pair of bread smugglers and a mother and daughter physically divided by the wall between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
“What this film is about is the question, can we portray de-humanizing environments without losing sight of the humanity of its targets?” Denes said. “And "Infiltrators'" answer to that question is yes.”
In one scene, a mother cried as she grasped her daughter’s hand from beneath the wall by which they are separated. Over the course of 90 minutes, “Infiltrators” showcases the humor, pride, and profound humanity of its subjects, Denes said.
“It’s not about control, it’s about this idea of torture and de-humanization,” Denes said.
The film began with a dizzying display of flashing streetlights and the sound of pounding footsteps as Palestinian workers ran from the Israeli police. Denes noted that a sense of confusion pervades "Infiltrators," evidenced by grainy imagery and shaking camera effects.
“I don’t think this film has any specific message,” he said. “What it does give you is a sense of claustrophobia, of disorientation. It gives you a feeling of what is going on.”
One member of the audience wanted to know whether the film had gained any influence in Israel.
“I think in Israel, they are aware of the situation,” Denes said. “They run in the news every week, actually, how many people are arrested trying to climb over the wall every week. So no, this isn’t something new.”
Members of the audience had mixed reactions.
Lynne Kane, a resident of Chapel Hill, voiced concern over the events portrayed in the film and the lack of context.
“Of course, you have to take into consideration the history when you’re looking at why these borders are being enforced,” she said.
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